DSP Boxing thread. Ding! Ding!

[pk500]

Just picked up tix for HBO card at Turning Stone in October!

Right on, Tony! High probability I'll see you there!

[Diablo25]

Total BS decision! Paul called it. GGG won at least 8 rounds. Byrd gave 10 rounds to Alvarez. Simply ridiculous. How a professional judge can be allowed to judge another fight after that display is beyond me.

[grtwhtsk]

This is why I no longer order boxing PPVs. I was following every blog I could find and every one had GGG winning the fight. A draw is one thing, scoring it lopsided for Canelo seems beyond ridiculous. Only way GGG could have walked out the winner was with a KO. Just really bugs me, especially in such a huge fight.

[pk500]

Well, I'll give myself a tap on the shoulder. I called the GGG-Canelo decision Friday, predicting a bizarro world card from Adelaide Byrd and a card favoring the house fighter from Dave Moretti.

That said, I'm not disappointed in tonight's fight.

Moretti and Trella's cards were believable. GGG lost early rounds because I've never seen him so nervous or tentative at the start of a fight.

But then he realized Canelo didn't have the power to attack him and switched from pressure mode to stalking. Classic GGG. But Golovkin made one mistake throughout the fight: He didn't go to the body enough.

GGG could have won this fight handily on Moretti and Trella's cards if he went to the body more. That would have neutralized Canelo's effective counterpunching, which won him at least two of the last three rounds.

Byrd never should judge another major fight. But she's married to prominent Nevada referee Robert Byrd, a favorite of the commission, and will continue to get work despite her blatant incompetence.

Canelo-GGG II on Cinqo de Mayo weekend next May. In Vegas. Mark it down. Sign me up.

Tonight was a fun, competitive fight. Anyone who called it boring doesn't know an effing thing about boxing. Both guys threw big shots. Few landed because both guys are far better boxers than most think. But shots were thrown, landed and traded. Other than huge blows landing and a guy on the canvas, there wasn't much more you could ask from that fight.

A fun night for the greatest sport in the world.

[pk500]

By the way, I had it 115-113, Golovkin.

[pk500]

Yes, the decision was dubious, at best. But let's not lose sight of an overarching fact of the Canelo-GGG bout: That was a really good, competitive fight among two of the very best practitioners of the Sweet Science in the world.

Canelo-GGG II on Cinco de Mayo weekend next May, in Vegas. Book it!

[wco81]

Teddy Atlas is calling out the same judge.

Says boxing can't give itself more black eyes than it already has.

Problem is there is no national commission. So the promoters get to go judge shopping. There doesn't have to be explicit bribes because the judges understand they won't get to work in the future unless they deliver the results which the promoters want.

Boxing is the only major sport where there's no separation of church and state. The people who make the money, the promoters, wield too much power over the people who administer the sport, the local commissions.


The thing I see is that only a handful of boxers at a time are big draws. They can't get huge PPV sales out of most matches. So when they get a big match, the incentive is going to be to milk it to maximize the money.

Atlas says sure there will be a lucrative rematch lined up. But it won't be fair to Glovkin because of his age. Even in one year, he's going to decline.

[grtwhtsk]

Yes, the decision was dubious, at best. But let's not lose sight of an overarching fact of the Canelo-GGG bout: That was a really good, competitive fight among two of the very best practitioners of the Sweet Science in the world.

Canelo-GGG II on Cinco de Mayo weekend next May, in Vegas. Book it!

I hear you Paul, but it would have bothered me to drop $70 on that fight to watch it, and hear that decision. For my hard earned cash, I want competitive and fair. I love a great boxing match, and this sort of thing really bothers me.

Now, on a separate note, my wife would have killed me for getting a PPV with our medical bills.

[pk500]

Teddy Atlas is calling out the same judge.

Says boxing can't give itself more black eyes than it already has.

Problem is there is no national commission. So the promoters get to go judge shopping. There doesn't have to be explicit bribes because the judges understand they won't get to work in the future unless they deliver the results which the promoters want.

Boxing is the only major sport where there's no separation of church and state. The people who make the money, the promoters, wield too much power over the people who administer the sport, the local commissions.


The thing I see is that only a handful of boxers at a time are big draws. They can't get huge PPV sales out of most matches. So when they get a big match, the incentive is going to be to milk it to maximize the money.

Atlas says sure there will be a lucrative rematch lined up. But it won't be fair to Glovkin because of his age. Even in one year, he's going to decline.

Your post is spot-on except for one thing: Any inference this fight was fixed to guarantee a rematch is silly. There was a rematch clause in the contract for this fight before both fighters stepped into the ring.

Adalaide Byrd isn't corrupt. She's blindly inept.

[pk500]

GGG beats Canelo in the rematch on Cinco de Mayo weekend 2018, and the fight doesn't go to the cards.

We saw everything available from Canelo last night. Boxing skill, footwork, head and body movement and counter punching.

OK, Canelo didn't show much power, but he doesn't have the power to hurt most middleweights. Canelo is built like a wrestler and was jacked for this fight, but muscle doesn't equal power in boxing. No fighter in the last 10 years had a more Adonis-like body than Tim Bradley, and he could barely break glass with his punches.

We didn't see the best of GGG last night because he showed far too much respect early for Canelo's supposed power, which doesn't really exist at 160. GGG never was hurt last night. He can be more aggressive next May from the opening bell.

Combine that with a return to a body attack, and GGG will stop Canelo late in the rematch in May. Too much pressure, too much power. Plus GGG cuts off the ring as well as anyone in boxing. There won't be an escape for Canelo.

[grtwhtsk]

Why would a rematch have to wait 8 months? Let's see them go in four, January 2018.

Paul, is GGG's age a concern? I have seen the decline in other boxers, and it can be quite rapid....and sad? Sorry if it's a dumb question, just figured I would ask the boxing expert!

[pk500]

Why would a rematch have to wait 8 months? Let's see them go in four, January 2018.

Because Mexican Independence Day weekend (last night) and Cinco de Mayo are the two biggest weekends in boxing for megafights due to the big Mexican-American fan base for boxing. Especially important since Canelo is Mexican and GGG has a strong Mexican fanbase.

Paul, is GGG's age a concern? I have seen the decline in other boxers, and it can be quite rapid....and sad? Sorry if it's a dumb question, just figured I would ask the boxing expert!

Yes. But I don't think GGG has slipped nearly as much as some experts say.

GGG looked excellent from the third round to the closing bell last night. He looked just as good as he did in his reign of terror from 2011 until the Kell Brook and Danny Jacobs fights.

Difference is GGG's opposition is MUCH tougher now. It's one thing to beat up Gregorz Proksa (I was there!), Willie Monroe, Curtis Stevens and Matthew Macklin. It's another to beat up Brook, Jacobs and Canelo Alvarez.

Brook was arguably the best active welterweight in the world when he stepped up to challenge Golovkin. Yes, he was fighting two classes above his normal weight. But his speed and power caused problems early for GGG until GGG figured him out. Remember, GGG won by knockout and BROKE BROOK'S FACE (orbital bone).

How is that slippage?

Danny Jacobs is the third-best middleweight in the world behind GGG and Canelo. Don't even mention Billy Joe Saunders, please.

GGG won that fight. It was tough. It was close. GGG had an off night. But again, he was facing the No. 3 middleweight on this planet, a guy who can really fight.

Again, how is that slippage?

If Alabama beats Bethune-Cookman, 59-0, and then only beats Florida by 10 and Auburn by 7, are the Crimson Tide accused of slipping?

[grtwhtsk]

Paul, my concern is slippage in 8 months. I don't doubt GGG and his ability at all. I just don't want Father Time getting in his way.

[pk500]

Paul, my concern is slippage in 8 months. I don't doubt GGG and his ability at all. I just don't want Father Time getting in his way.

Well, he's probably fighting Billy Joe Saunders or Miguel Cotto in December -- so much for GGG's concern about slippage!

Activity is one of the reasons I love Golovkin. He's 35 and wants to fight again this year. Meanwhile, Canelo -- who I like, not love -- is only 27 and already has become a semi-annual boxer, fighting only on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day.

GGG is a throwback. Love that man.

[Rodster]

Paul, my concern is slippage in 8 months. I don't doubt GGG and his ability at all. I just don't want Father Time getting in his way.

Well, he's probably fighting Billy Joe Saunders or Miguel Cotto in December -- so much for GGG's concern about slippage!

Activity is one of the reasons I love Golovkin. He's 35 and wants to fight again this year. Meanwhile, Canelo -- who I like, not love -- is only 27 and already has become a semi-annual boxer, fighting only on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day.

GGG is a throwback. Love that man.

That's what I love so much about the late 70's early 80's boxing era. Those dudes fought multiple times a year against the very best. In fact they went looking for the best to fight. Leonard fought Hearns, Hagler, Duran all in their prime and vice versa. Mega fights in the 80's were all too common because top flight boxer didn't duck the very best until they were in decline. That's why I could never put Mayweather Jr in the group of the greatest of all time. He only fought someone when he had the advantage whereas the 4 Kings of Boxing went looking for the best.

I still can't forget watching Leonard and Hearns on ABC with Howard Cosell calling the action or Alexis Argeullo and Aaron Pryor on CBS for free. Now that was one helluva throwdown and then you had the up and comers like Boom Boom Mancini and Hector Camacho.

[pk500]

Right on, Rod. Right effing on!

[Rodster]

In fact Floyd Mayweather Jr would have been mauled by any of those 4. I remember what Leonard did to his dad. Sugar Ray was way too fast for most boxers with deceptive power and would have gotten thru Mayweather's defense.

[pk500]

RIP to the Raging Bull, Jake LaMotta. A turbulent life outside of the ring, but one of the toughest sons of b*tches to ever step between the ropes. Was the first to beat Sugar Ray Robinson, the greatest of all time. 'Nuff said.

[grtwhtsk]

WOW!! Andre Ward retired!! http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/2 ... ing-boxing

[pk500]

WOW!! Andre Ward retired!! http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/2 ... ing-boxing

Fine fighter who reached his peak in the Super 6. But Ward pissed away his career after winning that tournament due to ducking foes, taking long hiatuses, promotional squabbles, etc.

Ward's retirement does not hurt the business of boxing. Not one bit.

Do you know any Andre Ward fans outside of Oakland? The guy couldn't even sell out Oracle for fights, and he was supposedly the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He was a TERRIBLE PPV draw.

Canastota calls for Ward in five years, if he stays retired. But he never was beloved by fans due to his dull style and arrogance out of the ring, so boxing marches on.

Much respect for Ward as a fighter. He dominated a stacked field in the Super 6.

But Ward has been a paper champion since 2011, with Kovalev his only real foe of the last six years. He was living off the vapors of being an elite fighter without proving it very often in the ring.

Ward also wanted to be loved so much by fans but did little to court their affection. You can't have it both ways, 'Dre.

He will be a champion forgotten by most within 10 years.

[Diablo25]

Paul, my concern is slippage in 8 months. I don't doubt GGG and his ability at all. I just don't want Father Time getting in his way.

Well, he's probably fighting Billy Joe Saunders or Miguel Cotto in December -- so much for GGG's concern about slippage!

Activity is one of the reasons I love Golovkin. He's 35 and wants to fight again this year. Meanwhile, Canelo -- who I like, not love -- is only 27 and already has become a semi-annual boxer, fighting only on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day.

GGG is a throwback. Love that man.

That's what I love so much about the late 70's early 80's boxing era. Those dudes fought multiple times a year against the very best. In fact they went looking for the best to fight. Leonard fought Hearns, Hagler, Duran all in their prime and vice versa. Mega fights in the 80's were all too common because top flight boxer didn't duck the very best until they were in decline. That's why I could never put Mayweather Jr in the group of the greatest of all time. He only fought someone when he had the advantage whereas the 4 Kings of Boxing went looking for the best.

I still can't forget watching Leonard and Hearns on ABC with Howard Cosell calling the action or Alexis Argeullo and Aaron Pryor on CBS for free. Now that was one helluva throwdown and then you had the up and comers like Boom Boom Mancini and Hector Camacho.

Arguello/Pryor = classic. Love it. Man, those were the days.

[Diablo25]

Saw this the other day and wanted to post it. He was one tough son of a b*tch...RIP

[pk500]

It's unreal how long refs allowed fights to continue back in the day. I definitely don't wax poetic for those times. Many, many fighters suffered irreparable, unreported brain damage.

It's also unreal how many times Marciano hit his foe in the back of the head in that footage, without warning from the ref.

Thanks for posting. Always wonderful to see the greats. I always point idiots who think Mayweather is the greatest of all time to the few videos of Sugar Ray Robinson that exist on YouTube. Hell, I could just point them to a Tommy Hearns video, too. No doubt in my mind The Hitman could have polished off Mayweather.

[Rodster]

The Hitman could have polished off Mayweather.

Insert Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran or Sugar Ray Leonard who destroyed his dad back in the 80’s. Any thoughts on Britain’s Anthony Joshua? That is one big, scary looking dude.

Edit: I wish EA would do another Fight Night game on the current consoles, still play FN Champions on the 360.

[pk500]

Joshua is legit. Big, strong, skilled, can box with power. He's the best heavyweight in the world, proven by knocking out Wlad Klitschko.

Wilder is a pretender right now. Let's see how he fares against Ortiz until we ordain him as the next great American heavyweight hope. The PBC has matched Wilder soft, as it does to all of its pampered stable of fighters.

I echo your thoughts about Fight Night. Miss that franchise. Fight Night Champion was solid. Maybe with boxing ascendant and MMA fading -- at least in American TV ratings -- EA will revive its boxing franchise. Plus boxing is FAR more popular than MMA in Europe and Latin America. In fact, the United States is one of the few regions in the world where MMA is more popular than boxing.